This blog was created for Niles Animal Hospital & Bird Medical Center by Peter S. Sakas DVM in an effort to provide information & discussion about animal related issues. It may move into some eccentric directions on occasion if the mood strikes me as I get more comfortable in this form of communication. I am open to suggestions & comments about the blog. Also view our hospital website www.nilesanimalhospital.com or Facebook page Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center.

Friday, May 23, 2014

California Reportedly Leading the Nation in Pot Poisonings Among Pet Dogs

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) – An increasing number of dogs are being
rushed to Bay Area emergency veterinary clinics after eating marijuana
intended for human consumption. Experts say dogs left untreated after
ingesting pot can suffer serious consequences, including coma and death.

“It’s a drug like any other prescribed drug and (the results) can be
very serious,” veterinarian Sean Wells told ConsumerWatch. “We see
between two and three cases a week.”

That’s up from about one case a month several years ago.

Other veterinary clinics around the Bay Area report a similar rise.

A study by Trupanion, a company that sells pet insurance, finds
California is now the number one state in the nation for
marijuana-related pet health claims.

Washington and New York are second and third, respectively. Colorado, where pot was legalized last year, ranks fourth.

Ingesting marijuana can be traumatic for a pooch, according to Dr. Wells.

“They don’t understand. They eat something and now they feel really strange. They feel really sick.”

He says, in most cases, the animal will need to be closely observed and possibly treated with a sedative, like Valium.

And don’t be afraid to take your canine in for treatment. Wells say good vets won’t make a pet owner feel uncomfortable.

4 people in Ohio sick with salmonella from frozen 'feeder rodents' bought at PetSmart: Food and drug recalls

A national outbreak of salmonella infections related to
frozen mice used as reptile food has sickened four people in Ohio. The
Arctic Mice brand feeder rodents were sold in PetSmart stores nationwide
and were distributed by Reptile Industries, Inc. of Naples, Fla.
(Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Four people in Ohio and a total of 37 nationwide
have fallen ill with salmonella infections connected to handling frozen
'feeder rodents' sold at PetSmart stores as reptile food, the Food and
Drug Administration warned Wednesday.

The Arctic Mice brand frozen rodents were distributed nationwide to
PetSmart stores by Reptile Industry Inc. The Naples, Florida-based
company has declined a recall of all of the affected product, according
to the FDA.

The four Ohio cases were reported in Hamilton, Lawrence, Lucas and
Wood counties. Those who fell ill ranged in age from seven years old to
63, and no one was hospitalized, according to Ohio Department of Health
spokeswoman Melanie Amato. The first illness in the state was reported
Feb. 13 and the most recent on April 11, she said.

A strain of bacteria called Salmonella Typhimurium was detected in
one of the feeder mice in the home of someone who fell ill in Oregon,
and testing conducted by the FDA identified the outbreak strain in two
frozen feeder rodent samples collected during an investigation at the
company's facility. Two thirds of the ill people interviewed reported
contact with multiple types of reptiles, including snakes and lizards,
and 15 reported exposure to frozen feeder rodents.

People infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and
abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection, and the infection
usually lasts 4 to 7 days and resolves on its own. In some people, the Salmonella infection (or salmonellosis)
may spread from the intestines to the blood stream and then to other
body sites and can be deadly unless the person is treated promptly with
antibiotics. Young children, the elderly, and those with compromised
immune systems are the most likely to have severe infections.

If you think you've been sickened by contact with the product, call
your doctor. If you have any of the Arctic Mice frozen rodents, dispose
of them by placing them in a sealed container in the trash so that
animals and pets cannot reach them.

If you're handling rodents as reptile food, be sure to:

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling the rodents or anything they have come in contact with.

Keep feeder rodents away from food prep areas, and never thaw them in the microwave.

Keep feeder rodents away from children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.

For more tips on safe handling of feeder rodents, check here. You can also find more information about food safety from the FDA here, or by calling 1-888-SAFEFOOD Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Pet Treat Mystery: More Dogs Dead, 3 People Sick, FDA Says

By JoNel Aleccia

Pet
jerky treats, mostly imported from China, are now linked to more than
1,000 deaths in dogs, more than 4,800 complaints about animal illness,
and, for the first time, sickness in three people who ate the products,
federal health officials said Friday.

But Food and Drug
Administration officials say they still can't identify a specific cause
for the reported illnesses or deaths, despite seven years of testing and investigation.

“The agency continues to caution pet owners that jerky treats are not required
for a balanced diet and encourage them to consult with their
veterinarians, both prior to feeding treats and if they notice symptoms
in their pets,” FDA said in a statement.

The humans who consumed
the treats included two toddlers who ingested them accidentally and an
adult who may have been snacking on the questionable products, which
include chicken, duck or sweet potato jerky treats, an FDA official
said.

“The
agency continues to caution pet owners that jerky treats are not
required for a balanced diet and encourage them to consult with their
veterinarians."

One
of the children was diagnosed with a salmonella infection, which can be
spread by touching contaminated pet food and treats. The other child
developed gastrointestinal illness and fever that mirrored the symptoms
of dogs in the house that also ate the treats. The adult reported nausea
and headache, said Siobhan DeLancey, an FDA spokeswoman.

The agency has received
about 1,800 new reports of illnesses and deaths since its last update in
October, some involving more than one pet. The numbers now include
5,600 dogs and 24 cats.

About 60 percent of the
cases involve symptoms of gastrointestinal trouble and liver disease, 30
percent involve kidney disease and about 10 percent involve other
complaints, including neurological and skin conditions, the FDA said.
About 15 percent of the kidney or urinary cases also tested positive for
Fanconi syndrome, a rare disease that has been associated with the
treats.

Agency officials also
said they were able to perform necropsies, or post-death examinations,
on 26 dogs submitted by veterinarians from across the country. In half
of those cases, the deaths did not appear to be associated with the
treats. Of the remaining 13 cases, an association with eating jerky
treats "could not be ruled out," FDA officials said.

The FDA plans to join
with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to launch a study
similar to epidemiological traceback investigations used with people,
comparing foods eaten by sick dogs with foods eaten by pets that did not
get sick.

Pet treats made by
national manufacturers Nestle Purina Pet Care and Del Monte Foods Corp.,
now known as Big Heart Pet Brands, were returned to store shelves recently
after a voluntary recall tied to the discovery of unapproved antibiotic
residue in some products last year. FDA officials said they had
received few reports of illness associated with those reformulated
products and no Fanconi syndrome cases.

In response to consumer
demand, Milo's Kitchen Chicken Grillers and other products are now made
in the U.S. with U.S.-sourced meat, said Chrissy Trampedach, Big Heart's
director of corporate communications.

Overall, the jerky treat illnesses and deaths have been associated with many different product brands, officials said.

In the new report, the
FDA said it had detected the antiviral drug amantadine in some Chinese
chicken jerky samples sold more than a year ago. Officials said they
don't believe the drug contributed to the animal illnesses or deaths.
However, the drug, which is used to treat Parkinson's disease and
influenza in humans, should not be present in jerky treats, officials
said. The FDA has warned Chinese and domestic suppliers that amantadine
is considered an adulterant, which could be grounds for banning the
treats for sale in the U.S.

The companies have
consistently said that the treats are safe to feed as directed and
they've emphasized that, despite extensive testing, no specific cause of
illness has been linked to the products.

"It's
quite sad when you see it dawn on the people that they're trying to
reward their best buddy there and then now they're the ones who have
been making them ill."

Pet owners and
veterinarians have criticized the FDA for not finding the source of the
contamination more quickly and for not issuing more far-reaching
recalls. They say they're sure that the products are dangerous, and that
the reported illnesses and deaths should be more than enough proof.

"Its really hard to
look at the number of cases that come in, correlate them with what
they're eating and then go away from that and say, no, it's not
related," said Brett Levitzke, a Brooklyn, New York, veterinarian who
has seen more than a dozen dogs since 2011 with Fanconi syndrome.

"It's quite sad when
you see it dawn on the people that they're trying to reward their best
buddy there and then now they're the ones who have been making them
ill," he told NBC News.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Come
and support a good cause, as well as having a mind-expanding experience
with all the knowledge you will gain. Dr. Sakas will be there all day and
giving two presentations (Dr. Becker had to cancel).....one on Avian
Diagnostics: Clinical Pathology
(explaining the testing done in avian medicine) and the other Avian
Droppings: An Excellent Indicator of Health and Illness (his poopology
lecture, with all sorts of poop pictures!) Hope to see you there!

RESERVE YOUR SEAT NOW!!

AVIAN VETERINARY ROUNDTABLE

SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014

How does a day up close and personal with some of the most phenomenal avian veterinarians practicing today sound to you?

Avian vets like Dr. Karen Becker, Dr. Pete Sakas, Dr. Susan Horton and
just added, Dr. Rober Ness will all be speaking at TASC's FIRST EVER
AVIAN VETERINARY ROUNDTABLE.
If you would like to reserve your seat, email us today at
TASCCHICAGO@aol.com with the number of tickets you would like to
reserve.

Tickets for this special event will be $50 and will
include lunch and other fun activities! Some vendors will also be on
site as well so some shopping time will also be available.

Hope you can make it!

Who? The Avicultural Society of Chicagoland with support from the Lyons Township High School Zoology Club

What? The Avian Veterinary Roundtable, a full day seminar including
Q&A sessions with time to talk to leading avian vets in our area.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Lyme Disease Is Expanding Its Range Westward In 2014

by Susan E. Little, DVM, PhD, Cathy Lund, DVM and Emilio DeBess, DVM, MPVMLyme
disease is a notorious vector-borne illness that can cause disease in
pets and people. Because this disease is zoonotic (can be transmitted to people) and is responsible for
a wide array of clinical signs, it is helpful to understand the risks
of disease transmission throughout the country. The CAPC Parasite
Forecast Maps for 2014 predict that Lyme disease is expanding its range
westward from the historic focus of the northeastern United States. New
England and the Pacific Coast continue to be hotspots of activity, and
are likely to experience a higher number of infections. Consistently
stable activity is predicted for the Mid-Atlantic States and the upper
Midwest. The CAPC forecast also shows that Lyme continues to expand
southward and involve more areas of Appalachia.

Dogs become infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease organism) when they are inoculated
with the organism by feeding ticks. In North America, only Ixodes
scapularis and Ixodes pacificus (commonly known as the Eastern and
Western Black-Legged ticks, respectively) have been shown to transmit
the infection to dogs. A clinical diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis usually
depends on the presence of compatible clinical signs and positive
serology for B. burgdorferi.

Dogs frequently travel with their owners, so even if Lyme disease isn’t
a threat in your region, there is a possibility that an individual dog
will test positive when tested. Heightened pet owner awareness of
Lyme disease provides an ideal educational opportunity to discuss all
vector-borne diseases and the importance of year-round protection for
all pets.

In addition to the forecast, CAPC provides parasite prevalence maps available by clicking here. The CAPC Prevalence Maps monitor the
activity level for parasitic diseases in any U.S. state and county. Because parasites
are dynamic and ever-changing, CAPC will continue to provide the
veterinary community with vital information about parasite prevalence
that can be shared with clients.

The maps work well as an educational tool for clients who want to know
more about why protecting their pets against parasites year-round is
essential. The state and county forecasts are also valuable for clients
who travel with their pets and need to protect them from diseases that
occur in different parts of the country.

Because ticks can be carriers of many diseases, including Lyme disease,
it is imperative that veterinarians reinforce the importance of regular
visits that should include parasite prevention. To prevent any type of
infection or infestation, CAPC recommends year-round parasite control
for dogs and cats. In addition, CAPC’s guidelines recommend regular
examinations — at least annually — by a veterinarian. CAPC Guidelines
for Lyme Disease can be found here.

CAPC bases its parasite forecasts on many different factors, including
temperature, precipitation, humidity, ground elevation, forest cover,
population density, reported human Lyme disease cases and deer strikes
with cars. These factors are incorporated into an equation created by a
team of statisticians that allows CAPC to predict the prevalence rate of
any given disease. The forecast is also the collective expert opinion
of respected parasitologists who engage in ongoing research and data
interpretation to better understand and monitor disease transmission and
changing parasite life cycles. Click here to learn more about the forecasts.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

First Aid Tips for Pet Owners

What would you do if

...your dog ate the bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips that was left out on the kitchen counter?

...your cat had a seizure right in front of you?

...your dog fell down the stairs and started limping?

...your cat was overheating on a hot summer day?

To avoid the feelings of panic that may accompany these situations,
we recommend the following steps to better prepare you for a pet medical
emergency. The following links summarize the basics you need for giving
first aid care to your pet.

Always remember that any
first aid administered to your pet should be followed by immediate
veterinary care. First aid care is not a substitute for veterinary care,
but it may save your pet's life until it receives veterinary treatment.

First aid supplies
Our
handy checklist tells you all the supplies you should have on hand for
pet first aid. Print out a copy to use for shopping, and keep a copy on
your refrigerator or next to the first aid kit for your family, for
quick reference in emergencies.How to handle an injured pet
Knowing how to comfort an injured pet can help minimize your pet's anxiety and also protect you and your family from injury.Basic pet first aid procedures
Read
our simple instructions for providing emergency first aid if your pet
is suffering from poisoning, seizures, broken bones, bleeding, burns,
shock, heatstroke, choking or other urgent medical problems. Print out a
copy to keep with your pet emergency kit.First aid when traveling with your pet
A
few simple steps can better prepare you to help your pet in first aid
situations while you are traveling. Remember: pet medical emergencies
don't just happen at home.Pets and disasters
Whether
confronted by natural disasters such as hurricanes, or unexpected
catastrophes such as a house fire, you need to be prepared to take care
of your animals. A pre-determined disaster plan will help you remain
calm and think clearly.